NOTES AND COMMENTARY

Turnbull Library Record, Volume 5, Issue 1, 1 May 1972, Page 41

NOTES AND COMMENTARY

By arrangement with the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts an exhibition of watercolours by Sir William Fox was held in the Academy gallery from 17 February to 9 March 1972. Entitled Around the world with William Fox, the exhibition was drawn largely from the Wilkie Loan Collection of Fox Watercolours with other paintings from the Turnbull collections and was opened by Dr E. H. McCormick. It was mounted by Mrs J. E. Paul, the Art Librarian, with assistance from other staff members, and she also prepared the illustrated catalogue, nearly 500 copies of which were sold at the gallery. Because of the importance of the paintings, the very strong natural light in the gallery was screened by black polythene sheeting placed over the skylights as a conservation measure. It is hoped that a selection of the 173 watercolours, augmented by others from the Hocken Library collection, will be sent on tour to the major galleries, possibly in 1973.

The considerable contribution by Mrs Paul to the success of this exhibition reminds us of an essential correction to a note in the October 1971 issue, in which the publishing firm of Blackwood & Janet Paul Limited was incorrectly named. It is a point of interest in New Zealand publishing history that the firm commenced operations in 1945 under the imprint of Paul’s Book Arcade Limited, which form of name was changed in 1964 to Blackwood & Janet Paul Limited. In 1968 the firm was sold to Longman’s, the New Zealand imprint of which became, consequentially, Longman Paul Limited.

The publication of Duperrey’s Visit To New Zealand in 1824 at the end of the year marks the resumption of publication of the series of Turnbull Library monographs. This volume, however, is the first published by the Endowment Trust and will be followed in June or July by The London Journal of Edward Jerningham Wakefield, edited by Professor Joan Stevens. The complete manuscript of Dr E. H. McCormick’s Biography of A. H. Turnbull has also now been received and it is hoped that printing will commence later this year. The Turnbull Library, as a part of the National Library, is responsible for the preparation of the New Zealand National Bibliography. The 1971 Annual Cumulation should be available about July while Volume 111 of the Retrospective Bibliography, covering the letters 1-0 of the 1890-1960 section, should be on sale by the Government Printer shortly.

The contribution of Dr J. C. Beaglehole, 0.M., C.M.G., in a number of areas of public and historical interest, including his association with this Library, is touched upon in a commemorative note in this issue by Mr R. I. M. Burnett. Mr Burnett, who was associated with Dr Beaglehole in the preparation of Centennial Publications and, particularly, in

many years preparatory work on the Centennial Atlas, is well qualified to perform this untimely exercise. As Secretary of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust from 1964 until 1970, he was again in close association with Dr Beaglehole in possibly the latter’s major interest after his Cook research. The Library in October-November mounted a display of Dr Beaglehole’s published work with manuscript and other associated items, some of which were kindly lent for the purpose by Mrs Beaglehole. Members of staff have also been engaged in the exacting task of compiling a bibliography of Dr Beaglehole’s published work ranging from newspaper contributions to the definitive editions of Cook. The bibliography, which is being published by Victoria University of Wellington in association with the Library, is now being printed by Messrs Whitcombe & Tombs, Christchurch.

In the Record for March 1968 we published a ‘farewell’ note on the then announced termination of book sales by Messrs J. H. Bethune and Co. For this reason, we are most happy to note that circumstances have now made it possible for the revival of this most important link in the interchange of second-hand books and manuscripts and paintings within this country. Two sales have so far been held, the first in December 1971 and the second in April 1972. Prices at the later sale may encourage owners, who are thinking of disposing of their collections, to entrust them to this well-tested traditional bibliophilic fiesta.